Elevated mail-carrier.



L. C. SNEDEKER.

ELEVATED MAIL CARRIER.

1,1 63 3 APPLICATION FILED IAN- lI, I9l6- PatentjedSep-t.

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L. c. SN EDEKER. ELEVATED MAIL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. ll, I916. 1,1 98,1 68. Patented Sept. 12,1916.

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LEX C. SNEDEKEB, 0F TOULON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO FRED 1). SMITH, 0F TOULON, ILLINOIS.

ELEVATED MAIL-CARRIER.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Lnx C. SNEDEKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toulon, in the county of Stark and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevated Mail-Carriers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to elevated carriers, and has for its primary object to provide an efficient elevated carrier of the electrically operated type especially designed for carryin g mail in the rural delivery districts.

Another object is the provision of an elevated electrically operated mail carrier embodying means for automatically breaking the circuit to the electrical operating mechanism as the carrier approaches its destination.

Another object is the provision of means for automatically throwing the reversing switch for the electric propelling means for the carrier as the latter approaches its destination.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the elevated mail carrier, partly in section, and partly broken away, Fig. 2 represents a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 represents a fragmental perspective view of the switch operating device Fig. 4c represents a fragmental perspective view of the circuit breaking and reversing switch operating devices, Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of one of the track supports, partly in section, Figs. 6 and 7 represent perspective views of various types of supporting brackets for the track.

Referring to the drawings in de' tail, wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 indicates a supporting upright adjacent the upper end of which is secured a horizontally disposed supporting bracket 11. The lower extremities of the uprights 10 are inserted in the earth and are arranged at adequate intervals along the line of the elevated track 12 for the carrier, and the outer extremities of the supporting bracket 11 are formed with upstanding lugs 13, having concave upper surfaces receiving the cylindrical track 12, which latter is attached to the upstanding lugs 13 by clipslt and set screws 15. Each terminal of the track 12 is connected with an eye bolt 17 extending through an aperture formed in the upper extremity of the end post 18 and secured in position therein by a nut 19. The upper extremity of the end post 18 is formed with a vertically elongated opening 20 to permit the door of the mail box, to be hereinafter described, to be opened and permit of access thereto. The curved portions of the track 12 are supported in suitable types of brackets, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

The elevated carrier, designated generally by the numeral 22 consists of a mail box 23 having the hinged door or closure 24c at one end thereof and provided with a pair of vertically extending uprights 2 1 having downwardly turned upper ends 25 receiving the shafts or axles 26 and 27 supporting the peripherally grooved pulleys 28 and 29, respectively. The upper extremities of the uprights 24 are connected by a horizontally disposed brace'30 and are partially inclosed in a suitable housing 31, having an opening in one side to receive the track 12 upon which the pulleys 28 and 29 are adapted to travel.

The shaft or axle 26 supporting the pulley 28 is extended a distance laterally of the downwardly directed end 25 of the adjacent upright 24; and is j ournaled in one side wall of the housing 31. A bevel gear wheel 28 is keyed upon the shaft 26 and meshes with a bevel gear wheel 29 non-rotatably secured to the upper extremity of the inclined countershaft 32. Bearings 33 are suitably supported in the housing 31 and rotatably support the countershaft 32, to the lower extremity of which is secured a bevel gear wheel 34, meshing with a corresponding gear wheel 35 secured upon the drive shaft of a preferred type of electric motor 36, which latter is supported upon a platform 37 secured between the uprights 24:. The pulley 28 is non-rotatably secured to the shaft 26 and thus during the operation of the electric motor 37 power is transmitted thereto through the gearwheels 34, counter shaft 32, and bevel gear wheels 29 and 28. A partition is arranged in the lower portion of the mail box 23 to provide a compartment 39 adapted to receive a storage or primary battery for supplying electricity to the motor 36 and the direction of rotation of the latter is controlled by a reversing switch designated generally by the numeral 40 and supported upon the platform 37 The bat-.

tery 43 is connected by conductors 42 with the contacts of the reversing switch 40, in which is arranged the usual sliding contact member 44 adapted to engage the relatively stationary contacts 45. The sliding contact member 44 is connected with a longitudinally movable bumper rod 46, slidably mounted in the casing of the switch 40 and projecting a distance beyond the opposite ends of the mail box 23, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, for engagement with the end posts 18 at the opposite ends of the track 12. Intermediate the reversing switch 40 and the electric motor 36 a circuit closer 48 is arranged in the circuit of the electric motor and includes a pair of spaced spring contacts 49 secured to the platform 37 and adapted to be electrically connected to close the circuit to the motor 36 by a relatively movable contact or bridge member 50 carried by one end of an angular lever 51, pivotally supported at 52* above the platform 37.

Pairs of links 52 are pivotally secured at their lower extremities 53 to a base plate 54 suitably fastened upon the platform 37, and the upper extremities of the pairs of links 52 are pivotally connected at 55 with links 56, the upper extremities of which are connected by the pivot 57 on which is rotatably supported a depressible roller 58. The pairs of links 52 and 56 are normally retained in alinement or upwardly extended position by the tension of a spring 59, connecting the medial portions of the lower pairs of links 52. At points adjacent the opposite ends of the track 12, shoes 60 are secured to the under surfaces thereof and are formed with tapered ends 61 providing inclined surfaces adapted to engage and depress the roller 58 and pivoted links 52 and 56, the movement of the links 52 and 56 being imparted to the angular lever 51. for automatically disengaging the movable contact member 50 from between the spring contacts 59 by a link connection 62. The central and relatively thick portion of the shoe 60 is formed with a recess 63 adapted to receive the roller 58, when the carrier comes toa stop at the end of the track 12, to prevent said carrier from moving along the track 12.

In operation, the carrier 22 is propelled over the track 12 by the electric motor 36, the power from said motor bemg transmitted to the drive pulley 28 by the bevel gear wheels 34, counter shaft 32 and bevel gear wheels 29' and 28. As the carrier approaches the end of the track 12 the roller 58 engages the lower inclined surface of the shoe 60, thus moving the links 52 and 56 to the angular position illustrated in Fig. 1, pushing the link 62 and swinging the lever 51 on its pivotal axis 52. The movement of the lever 51 disengages the movable contact member 50 from between the spring contacts 49 and thus breaks the circuit to the electric motor 36. The end of the bumper rod 46 engaging the inclined end post 18 stops the movement of the carrier and simultaneously throws the reverse switch 40 so that, when the circuit is again closed through the spring contacts 49, the motor 36 operates in such manner as to propel the carrier away from the adjacent end post 18 and toward the end of the track. The roller 58 engaging in the recess 63 in the shoe 6O prevents the carrier from being moved along the track by wind or by gravity when the track 12 is inclined. In launching or starting the carrier, the same is manually moved along the track 12 a suflicient distance to disengage the roller 58 from the lower surface of the shoe 60, thus permitting the spring 59 to move the links 52 and 56 to normal position and swing the lever 51 through the link 62 into such position as to engage the relatively movable contact member 50 with the spring contacts 49 and thus close the circuit to the electric motor 36.

What I claim is:

1. In an elevated carrier, a track, means supporting said track, an elevated carrier adapted to travel upon said track, propelling means for said carrier, means for reversing said propelling means, means for automatically actuating said reversing means and means operable independently of said reversing means for controlling the operation of said propelling means.

2. In an elevated carrier, a track, means supporting said track, a carrier adapted to travel upon said track, means for propelling said carrier, means for reversing said propelling means, means adapted to engage said supports for automatically actuating said reversing means, means operable independently of said reversing means for controlhug the operation of said propelling means, and track-carried means for actuating said controlling means.

3. In an elevated carrier, a track, supporting means for said track, an elevated carrier adapted to travel upon said track, propelling means for said carrier, a longitudinally movable bumper rod supported in said carrier and adapted to engage said supports to stop the movement of the carrier, and means operable by said bumper rod for automatically reversing the direction of travel of the elevated carrier upon the track.

4. In an elevated carrier, a track, means supporting said track, a carrier adapted to travel upon said track, electrically operated propelling means for said carrier, an electrical circuit including said electrically operated propelling means, a normally closed circuit closer arranged in said circuit, and means for automatically opening said circuit closer as said carrier approaches the ends of a track, said opening means including pairs of spring extended links, and a connection between said links and said circuit closer.

5. In an elevated carrier, a track, means supporting said track a carrier adapted to travel upon said track, a source of electromotive force, a circuit connected with said source of electromotive force, an electric motor arranged in said circuit, means connecting said motor with said carrier for propelling the latter over said track, a normally closed circuit closer arranged in said circuit, shoes secured adjacent the opposite ends of said track, pairs of pivoted links pivotally secured at their lower ends to said carrier, and a roller pivotally connecting the upper extremities of the upper links of the pairs adapted to be engaged and depressed by said shoes, and means connecting said links with said circuit closer.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEX C. SNEDEKER.

Vitnesses:

PAULINE OLsoN, MILLs D. DEWEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

